January 20, 2025
Regardless of how enjoyable or exasperating Christmas shopping may be for you, the delight one feels when observing the recipient open their present is irreplaceable. The true reward, however, is the opportunity to select a gift that accurately expresses your love for the recipient. The same can be said of our relationship with the Lord: the offerings we bring to Him are an opportunity to reveal our adoration through “a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18).” While we ponder what gifts to bring Him in this season, we can look to the example of one South Georgia family, the Aldridges.
Raised on a farm in Waycross, Georgia, Clyde Aldridge grew up without many of the things his peers enjoyed. “I was raised in a very poor family, but we were always in church.” Mr. Aldridge reflected. He added that because of his parents’ commitment to being active church members, he understood the concept of tithing at a young age. Although their cashflow was limited, he regularly heard his parents discussing how they would tithe 10% of their livestock sales as their offering.
Mr. Aldridge determined at a young age that he was not interested in working on trains, cars, or farms like his parents and neighbors. Instead, he wanted to pursue a white-collar job. Taking an economics class in high school spurred his interest in the stock market leading to his first investment in his late 20’s. After retiring from the Navy, he even opened several small businesses. Many decades and capital gains later, Mr. Aldridge realized the benefit of tithing from stocks rather than with cash. Donating stocks to ministry allows the Aldridges to increase their family’s gift while also increasing their potential tax deductions. Clyde and his wife, Barbara, joined their church in 2017 and learned how Georgia Baptist Foundation can help donors transfer gifts of stock to ministries. Since then, the Aldridges have utilized the Foundation’s stock-transfer services multiple times each year to make offerings to the Lord through their local church.
As diligent stewards, we should acknowledge that our “first fruit” gifts may not only be cash offerings. Donating stocks, retirement assets, and other non-cash assets through the Foundation offers significant benefits to believers and their churches.
Whether you make monthly contributions or year-end gifts to support ministry, Georgia Baptist Foundation can support you through the entire process. As a reminder, year-end gifts must be postmarked by the United States Postal Service or electronically processed by December 31 to count toward your 2024 charitable tax deductions.
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Courtney Fields Allen is a marketing associate with the Georgia Baptist Foundation. For more information on non-cash giving options, visit gbfoundation.org/services/individuals/solutions or call 770-452-8338.
